OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The bats of the Raging Tide went silent for a second day in a row, but against Wachusett, so did its defense, as the Dirt Dawgs took advantage of a few Tide miscues in a four-run sixth inning as they won 9-3 at The Ballpark on Thursday.

After scoring just one run the night before in a loss at Martha’s Vineyard, the Tide equaled that number in the first inning against the Dirt Dawgs. Matt Pagano hit a one-out triple ”“ his league-leading third of the season ”“ and scored when Phil Sciretta followed with an infield single off the glove of Wachusett starting pitcher Michael Marshall.

The Tide then looked to increase its early lead in the second inning, and a lead-off walk by Skip Flanagan followed by an Aaron Wilson single made things look promising. But a bunt attempt from Shane Bussey popped into the air and was caught by a diving Marshall. Marshall then popped up himself and threw out Flanagan at second, who was halfway to third on the catch. Graham McIntire then appeared to get the Raging Tide offense back on track with a single to right, but McIntire rounded the base too far and was caught in a pickle and tagged out for the final out.

“We definitely had to jump out in the first (two innings), but we struggled at that, and it decided to bite us in the end,” said Wilson.

The Dirt Dawgs tied the game up in the top of the third as Ryan Beal drove home John Jennings with a sacrifice fly. The Dirt Dawgs got a lead ”“off single by Tyler Mikrut in the inning, but he was gunned down by Tide catcher C.J. Picerni trying to steal second. Jennings then followed with a double, and advanced to third on a passed ball by Picerni that set up Beal’s sacrifice.

Both teams’ bats were quieted until the top of the sixth, when the Dirt Dawgs decided to play some small ball. After Jennings led off with a walk, Beal dropped a bunt down the first base line. Both Tide starting pitcher Joey Royer and first baseman Sciretta went after the roller, but when Royer got to it he found first base empty, allowing Beal to reach safely. Brian Lamboy then dropped a bunt down the third base line, and in Royer’s indecisiveness, Lamboy also reached to load the bases.

“It definitely caught us by surprise. Just good bunts. I applaud them for that,” said Wilson.

Jamill Moquette hit a double to deep left-center to drive in two runs, with a little help from the Tide defense. Beal rounded third on the play, stopped and turned around, ran into a charging-Lamboy, then turned back around and somehow scored when the relay throw in from Bussey at short went off-target.

“We got to learn to put people away. It’s still young in the season, but I’m a little disappointed. That one inning, we had some errors and didn’t communicate. It gets frustrating,” said Raging Tide manager Chris Torres. “They know they got to do better on it. We just got done telling them after that first bunt that it was going to happen again. Just mental farts, and hopefully they can get past them.”

Michael Franzese came on in relief of Royer after that, but couldn’t stop the bleeding. Franzese walked Derek Lowe on four pitches, then gave up a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to Josh Raymond that brought home Lamboy. A walk by Austin Sistrunk loaded the bases back up, and Billy Wright drove home another run with an RBI groundout to second. The inning finally came to an end when Mikrut flied out to center for the third out.

The Raging Tide put together a rally in the bottom of the eight against Wachusett reliever Will Stillman. Brian Doran and Cody Malloy drew back-to-back one-out walks, and after Picerni struck out, both advanced on a wild pitch. Flanagan then drove them both home with a single to left-center. Wilson singled on a grounder past first to put two runners on again, but Bussey was called out on strikes to end the inning.

Thornton Academy graduate Jeff Gelinas came on to pitch in the top of the ninth ”“ his first appearance at home this season ”“ but had a rude welcoming by the Dirt Dawgs. Gelinas gave up three hits and two walks and allowed four runs as Wachusett pulled away for a six-run lead.

“He threw hard. He threw well. He didn’t do anything bad,” Torres said of Gelinas’ pitching debut. “I was impressed with him, and he will get more opportunities.”

Michael Yerina struck out the side for Wachusett in the bottom of the ninth, despite giving up consecutive two-out single, to finish up the win ”“ just the Dirt Dawgs’ second this season.

— Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 323. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.